Research

SSEC engineers and scientists develop and utilize space-, aircraft- and ground-based instrumentation to collect and analyze observations of the Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, land surface, and other planetary atmospheres to improve our understanding of weather, climate, and atmospheric processes. Through this research we produce new resources, products, and tools that are helping to improve the accuracy and timeliness of weather forecasts.

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Absolute Radiance Interferometer (ARI) for the CLARREO Pathfinder

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Antarctic Meteorological Research Center
(AMRC)

The Antarctic Meteorological Research Center (AMRC) is an observational research center focused on the meteorology of the Antarctic and adjacent regions through the use of networked weather stations and satellite imagery and data.

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Atmospheric Infrared Sounder
(AIRS)

SSEC scientists have helped calibrate the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) onboard the Aqua satellite and currently validate its data, develop algorithms to make the data useful, and write software for processing the data from direct broadcast facilities.

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Atmospheric Motion Vector Research

SSEC is known for its pioneering work with atmospheric motion vectors (AMVs) to track wind patterns by analyzing numerous sets of satellite images. These include AMVs from geostationary (GEO) satellite observations over mid-latitudes and the tropics and AMVs from low earth-orbiting (LEO) satellites over polar regions.

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CIMSS Climate Data Portal
(CDP)

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Chequamegon Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study
(ChEAS)

The Chequamegon Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (ChEAS) is a research cooperative that seeks to understand carbon and water cycles of terrestrial ecosystems at regional scales, using the Northwoods of Wisconsin as its study region.

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Combined HSRL and Raman Measurement Study
(CHARMS)

The Combined HSRL and Raman Measurement Study (CHARMS) is an effort through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program to evaluate the potential of combining two advanced lidar systems to provide information about aerosols and clouds in the Earth’s atmospheric column.

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Community Satellite Processing Package (CSPP) Geo

The Community Satellite Processing Package (CSPP) Geo is free open source software developed to support Direct Broadcast (DB) users with processing geostationary satellite data to generate geophysical products.

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Community Satellite Processing Package (CSPP) Leo

The Community Satellite Processing Package (CSPP) Leo is free open source software developed to support Direct Broadcast (DB) users with processing polar-orbiting satellite data for regional products and applications.

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Cross-track Infrared Sounder
(CrIS)

In preparation for JPSS-1 and for the current Suomi NPP, SSEC and CIMSS scientists are integrally involved in the pre-launch design and testing, as well as post-launch plans to assess the quality of the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) data.

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Data Assimilation

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Evaporative Stress Index
(ESI)

The Evaporative Stress Index (ESI) uses satellite data to track changes in the amount of water vapor released by vegetation via transpiration. Monitoring the ESI could provide early warning of developing drought.

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GOES research activities at SSEC/CIMSS

SSEC and CIMSS scientists are using data and imagery from the current Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) to better understand changes in Earth’s atmosphere that can lead to improved weather forecasts.

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GOES-R series activities at SSEC/CIMSS

Launched November 2016, GOES-R is the first in the series of next generation geostationary satellites series. GOES-R provides more timely and detailed observations that will enhance our research of Earth’s atmosphere and weather to improve forecasts.

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Geostationary Hyperspectral IR Sounder

The nation's current GOES-R series do not have a geostationary (GEO) hyperspectral IR sounder, while several international agencies have or are developing such a capability. The GEO hyperspectral IR sounders will greatly enhance the current forecast capability by providing critical high temporal resolution sounding information.

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Hazus-MH Based Project Support

Hazus-MH, created in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Adminstration (FEMA), uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology to estimate physical, economic, and social impacts of disasters such as earthquakes, hurricane winds, and floods.

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Using ultra-high resolution simulations of supercell thunderstorms, as well as state-of-the-art visualization and analysis software, researchers are studying how these storms evolve and produce tornadoes and downbursts.

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Hyper-spectral Viewer for Development of Research Applications
(HYDRA)

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Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer
(IASI)

To validate the measurements and to study climate trends, SSEC researchers compare data from the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) on the European MetOp satellite with data from other sounders, such as the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) and the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS).

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The Infusing satellite Data into Environmental Applications - International (IDEA-I) develops satellite-based aerosol forecasting, visualization, and data synthesis tools for use by the international air quality forecasting community.

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The Integrated Characterization of Energy, Clouds, Atmospheric state, and Precipitation at Summit (ICECAPS) ground-based instrument suite provides cloud, atmosphere, and precipitation measurements at the top of the Greenland Ice Sheet.

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Joint Polar Satellite System
(JPSS)

SSEC and CIMSS scientists are involved in calibration and validation work to ensure the instruments on board the Joint Polar Satellite System, JPSS-1, return accurate measurements that will support future research. JPSS-1 is scheduled to launch in 2017.

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Light Detection And Ranging
(LIDAR)

SSEC has developed two LIght Detection And Ranging (Lidar) instruments to take highly detailed atmospheric measurements used in numerical model development: the Volume Imaging Lidar and the High Spectral Resolution Lidar.

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Monitoring VIIRS RSBs using CrIS based DCC

This project uses CrIS detected deep convective clouds (DCCs) to monitor the radiometric stabilities of the VIIRS reflective solar bands (RSBs) of SNPP and NOAA-20 as part of the VIIRS SDR calibration efforts.

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NPOESS Airborne Sounder Testbed - Interferometer
(NAST-I)

SSEC scientists use high spectral resolution data from the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Aircraft Sounding Testbed-Interferometer (NAST-I) in field campaigns to validate and calibrate satellite data for the purpose of improving operational weather forecasts.

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Nearcasting

Utilizing infrared water vapor data from GOES, Nearcasting is used to predict severe weather outbursts one to six hours in advance. This technique fills the gap between radar nowcasts, which predict weather from the zero to one-hour range, and NWP forecasting models which predict weather more than eight hours in advance.

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Reliable Automated Instrumentation Network
(RAIN)

SSEC, in collaboration with other departments on campus, maintains a Reliable Automated Instrumentation Network (RAIN) for research purposes. The instruments measure atmospheric parameters, while a group of cameras capture weather events. A buoy on Lake Mendota monitors lake quality and weather conditions.

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SSEC Portable Atmospheric Research Center
(SPARC)

The SSEC Portable Atmospheric Research Center (SPARC) is a vehicle outfitted with a suite of instruments to make ground-based measurements used for studying the atmosphere during field campaigns across the country.

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Satellite Data Assimilation for Tropical storms
(SDAT)

The Satellite Data Assimilation for Tropical storm is a near realtime experimental data assimilation system that uses conventional and satellite data to demonstrate the use of Joint Polar Satellite System sounder observations for improving tropical cyclone track and intensity forecasts.

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To improve aviation safety, a team of CIMSS researchers and collaborators at the University of Alabama-Huntsville use satellite-based products to support the NASA Advanced Satellite Aviation Products initiative and is a part of the Satellite-based Nowcasting and Aviation Application Program (SNAAP).

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Scanning High-resolution Interferometer Sounder
(S-HIS)

Designed and built at SSEC, the Scanning High-resolution Interferometer Sounder (S-HIS) measures temperature and water vapor profiles. Data gathered in field experiments is used to advance our understanding of the Earth's atmosphere, support calibration and validation of current satellite sensors, and help to develop future weather satellite sounders.

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Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) Near Infrared Spectrograph

This collaboration between the UW-Madison Department of Astronomy, Space Astronomy Lab, and SSEC will design and build a near infrared (NIR) upgrade to the Robert Stobie Spectrograph (RSS) on the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT).

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Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership
(Suomi NPP)

The Suomi National Polar Orbiting Partnership (SNPP) is a joint program between NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the U.S. Department of Defense, dedicated to building the next-generation Earth-observing satellite system for collecting environmental data. The successor to SNPP is the forthcoming series of Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) satellites.

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Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats
(TROPICS)

The Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS) investigation will develop and launch a constellation of nanosatellites called CubeSats to study the development of tropical cyclones through rapid sampling of the atmosphere.

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Tropical Cyclone Research

The CIMSS Tropical Cyclone Research group develops satellite-derived products to improve the analysis and prediction of tropical storms, leading to more accurate tropical cyclone forecasts and more timely and effective warnings.

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Venus Atmospheric Research

The atmosphere of Venus has been explored by fly-by spacecraft, orbiters, descending probes, landers and floating balloons with supplementary ground-based observations in order to learn more about the the planet's weather and the evolution of its climate.

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Virtual Institute for Satellite Integration Training
(VISIT)

The Virtual Institute for Satellite Integration Training (VISIT) program trains National Weather Service forecasters using distance education techniques to accelerate the transfer of satellite-based atmospheric research into operations. This includes VISITview, a teletraining and real-time collaboration tool developed at SSEC, along with courses developed and led by SSEC scientists.

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Volcanic Ash

NOAA and CIMSS scientists have developed tools to detect volcanic ash and dust clouds using data from geostationary and polar-orbiting satellites—information that is used to issue volcanic ash advisories to the aviation community.